Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Damaturu, Yobe State — Suspected fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) mounted a coordinated and violent assault on two rural communities in Yobe State in the early hours of 27 December 2025, leaving local leaders wounded, a civilian abducted, and a primary health facility ransacked, according to multiple security and eyewitness reports.
The attacks, which struck the Ja Jibiri and Ladu villages at around 12:20 a.m., underscored the persistent threat that extremist groups pose to fragile communities in northeast Nigeria, even in areas where government and military efforts have sought to suppress insurgent activity.
In the first of the assaults, gunmen opened fire on Lawan Hassan, the 45‑year‑old village head of Ja Jibiri, striking him in the left shoulder as he sought to organise a response to the sudden incursion. Hassan was later evacuated to Geidam Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Following the raid on Ja Jibiri, the assailants proceeded to Ladu village, where they abducted Madu Kura, a 40‑year‑old driver of a Toyota Hilux vehicle. According to local sources, the gunmen then forced their way into the Primary Health Care Medical Centre, looting medical supplies, other valuables, and a Volkswagen Golf car before withdrawing from the area.
Residents and local security officials described the attackers as heavily armed and highly mobile. The violence occurred despite intensified counter‑terrorism campaigns in the region, including ongoing military operations aimed at degrading ISWAP’s operational capabilities.
The coordinated nature of the raids — targeting both civilian leadership and essential community infrastructure — highlights the breadth of the insurgents’ intent. Health facilities in rural areas like Ladu are often lifelines for residents, providing basic services and emergency care in regions where larger hospitals can be hours away. By seizing medical consumables and equipment, the attackers have dealt a blow to already fragile healthcare access in a state still recovering from years of militant violence.
Yobe State, part of Nigeria’s Northeast geopolitical zone, has long been a frontline in the country’s struggle against jihadist insurgencies that began over a decade ago. While the intensity of violence dipped in some areas following sustained military pressure, insurgent activity remains a daily threat for many villages, particularly those close to forested or isolated terrain that militants exploit for staging attacks and evading security forces.
Local security sources said patrols have been increased in the wake of the attack, with personnel dispatched to monitor movement around Ja Jibiri and Ladu, as well as neighbouring settlements. Efforts to track down the perpetrators and recover the abducted driver are ongoing, though tough terrain and the mobility of the fighters complicate rapid response.
The assault came amid broader security dynamics that have seen extremist groups adapt their tactics, often shifting between direct engagements with security forces and opportunistic raids on civilian targets. Community leaders in Yobe have repeatedly warned that the destruction or looting of critical infrastructure, such as clinics and schools, deepens the humanitarian crisis that has displaced tens of thousands and left many without basic services.
While the Nigerian government and military have publicly reaffirmed their resolve to eliminate insurgent threats, residents of affected communities continue to express frustration and fear over their safety. Many villagers cited a lack of consistent protective presence in outlying areas, noting that security operations tend to focus on larger towns and roads, leaving small settlements vulnerable to sudden raids.
Humanitarian agencies operating in the region have also raised alarms about the broader impacts of repeated attacks on health infrastructure. Even before the recent raids, many clinics in rural Yobe struggled to maintain supplies, personnel and uninterrupted services due to insecurity and logistical challenges. The loss of medicines and equipment in Ladu threatens not only immediate care but also longer‑term health outcomes for women, children and the elderly who rely on these centres.
Civil society actors and local authorities have called for enhanced protection measures that integrate community early‑warning systems with rapid response units capable of reaching remote villages quickly. They argue that empowering local vigilance efforts, strengthening supply chains for essential services, and improving collaboration between military and civilian agencies are crucial steps toward mitigating the risk of future assaults.
In the immediate term, the wellbeing of injured traditional leaders and abducted civilians remains a central concern. The fate of Madu Kura has not yet been confirmed, and efforts by security forces to locate him and secure his release are underway. Meanwhile, villagers displaced by the violence are seeking shelter with relatives in nearby communities, uncertain when — or if — they will return to rebuild their homes and livelihoods.
The latest attacks in Ja Jibiri and Ladu serve as a stark reminder that, despite ongoing military campaigns and national counter‑insurgency efforts, extremist groups like ISWAP remain capable of striking deep into the heart of rural Nigeria’s northeast, targeting both the vulnerable and the institutions designed to protect and support them.
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